


Sleep, you need it!

by Widow_Spyder



Category: Constantine (TV)
Genre: 5+1 Things, Alcohol, Domestic Fluff, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Mild references to, Other, Platonic Cuddling, Platonic Relationships, Sleepiness, Sleepy Cuddles, john needs sleep, little angst, sedatives
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-16
Updated: 2019-02-16
Packaged: 2019-10-29 14:04:33
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,717
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17809319
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Widow_Spyder/pseuds/Widow_Spyder
Summary: 5 ways Chas gets John to sleep and the 1 time he didn’t have to use any of them.





	Sleep, you need it!

###### Massage:

Chas uses this method in the not-so-odd times that John is sulking or is upset about something. When John is desperate for comfort but doesn’t seek it out, instead relying on the many bottles the mill stocked to make him feel better -- or numb.

John has moods, and when he’s in one of them, he avoids sleep as if it were a plague. Chas can’t really blame him though. With the moods come nightmares and bad memories, many of which have been buried by the exorcist with the intent that they stay like that. So John avoids sleep until the mood either passes or he passes out.

It’s unhealthy, and they both know it, so Chas does his best to prevent John’s third all-nighter. But first he has to find him, which shouldn’t be a problem since most of the alcohol is stored in the kitchen and where the alcohol is, John usually is too.

It doesn’t take Chas long to spot the moping mess that is John Constantine. He’s sat in a chair at the table in the middle of the ground floor where bottles of whiskey surround him. It looks like he’s pouring himself into multiple textbooks and scrolls -- honestly, it doesn’t look like anything is wrong with him at all. But Chas knows John, probably better than anyone. He knows that John is distracting himself with work so that he doesn’t completely go over the edge.

It’s when John flips the page of his book and downs another shot that Chas makes his move. He walks up behind the chair John is sitting in and grips his shoulders. He can feel the smaller man contain a flinch and Chas almost feels bad for not making his presence known when he entered the room. It’s best to tread lightly when John’s like this and Chas knows he needs to be careful.

They both don’t say anything as Chas starts rubbing little circles into John’s shoulder and neck, releasing the tense muscles from their lockdown mode.

In the back of his mind, John knew what Chas was up to. If he rubbed Johns shoulder a little bit more. If Chas eased away some of the tension that was practically built into his muscles. If he could just hit the right spot, then John would become boneless. John, of course, would be stubborn the whole time, trying in vain to focus on the work in front of him. Yet, Chas wasn’t making it easy. The more Chas massaged his neck, and down his back, the more tired John became. The fact that he hadn’t slept for two nights beforehand wasn’t making it better.

The text in the book he was reading was becoming blurry, and his posture was slowly easing back. Chas smiled a bit as he moved his hands down to John’s shoulder blades -- a place Chas discovered years ago to be John’s weak spot.

When John is limp in the chair, and his eyes are half-lidded is when Chas knows he’s won.

He begins phase 2 immediately so that John doesn’t fall asleep in the chair. He pulls the sleepy exorcist out of the chair and wraps one of his arms around John’s waist for support. John, instinctively, wraps one of his arms around Chas’s neck in return. They make their way upstairs and into John’s bedroom where John latches off and face plants into his pillow. Chas keeps in a sigh and goes to take off John’s shoes.

He adds in a little foot rub to John’s socked feet for good measure.

“M’not gonna go barmy, y’know.” John slurs.

Chas smiles and sits next to John. “I know,” Chas replies.

“Want a drink,” John muttered into the pillow. Chas knows what he wants, but with all the effort he put in to get John here, he wasn’t about to let John get back up to get drunk.

“I’ll get you some water,” Chas smirks as he pulls the sheet up to John’s waist and turns for the door.

Chas can vaguely hear John calling him a bastard as he leaves the room to grab that drink.

Once he returns, John is utterly dead to the world. His breath evened out, and his face relaxed. He sets the cup on the nightstand and leans back against the headboard with a book in his hands. He’d keep the nightmares away that night and any other nights John needs it because Chas will always be there for John.

###### Sedatives:

Chas doesn’t like to use this one. But if the situation calls for it, then he’d do it -- for John’s own good. Typically, he’d only use sedatives and sleeping pills if John were injured or sick and didn’t want to rest. When John would be adamant to finish the case even though his chest would be ripped to near shreds from a particularly nasty demon with claws. That was a rough case, for both of them…

When that happened, Chas’s efforts to get him to sleep would have to rely on the small pills he’d crack open and dump into John’s cup of whiskey when he wasn’t looking.

This case had left John with a couple of bruised ribs, a sprained shoulder and a bunch of little scrapes and scratches all over him. Chas had died twice but was resurrected like always. While Zed had too many visions to count and was exhausted with a headache but was otherwise alright. John was the main concern, like always.

They had tracked this weird wind controlling demon creature thing -- Chas couldn’t, nor did he want to remember its name -- to an abandoned factory in South Carolina where they tried to exorcize it back to hell. Keyword being “tried.”

This particular demon creature could manipulate the wind in its surrounding area, which meant that while John was trying to say the right spell, he got pushed up and blown away into a wall and then down a flight of stairs. Thus gaining him, many new injuries.

Finally, after 3 hours, they’d banished the damn thing and trudged home. Though, instead of heading up to his room, John slumped down onto the couch with the scry map, several spell books, and a cup of whiskey, on the table in front of him.

Chas nearly face palmed. He set their bags down and headed for the kitchen.

He could hear Zed trying to convince John to get up and let them wrap his injuries but judging by his tone, he wasn’t having it.

A few minutes later, Zed appeared in the kitchen, a tired look on her face.

“He refuses medical treatment,” Zed sighed as she starts boiling some hot water for her tea.

“I know.” Chas blankly replies. He’d already fished out the hidden pillbox of sedatives that he's kept for times like these and had two capsules ready in his hand.

“What’re those for?” Zed asked.

“John.” Chas replied.

Zed looked stunned yet also amused. “You’re going to drug him?” She chuckled.

“You want to see a cranky exorcist brit in the morning?” Chas scoffed. 

“Do you.. Always do this?” Zed questioned, a little concern was lacing her voice.

“If he’s injured and refuses rest.” Chas responded as if it were nothing new.

“So, a lot then.” Zed confirmed.

“Mmm.” Chas hummed. “Just need to pop them in his drink, when he’s not looking.”

“Well that’s not going to be easy,” Zed took a sip from her tea before continuing. “He’s staring at his cup as if it’ll grow legs and run away.”

“Yeah, I think he’s started to catch on what I’m doing.” Chas inwardly groaned.

“I’ll distract him for you,” Zed said, walking back out towards the main room. Chas followed, bringing with him the pills and a blanket that was thrown over a chair.

“Say John..” Zed moved a couple items and sat on the table to John’s left. “Are there any other things clairsentients can do besides getting visions?” She asked.

John moved his body to fully face her which effectively made him tear his gaze away from the cup of alcohol.

“Well luv, besides the ability to feel someone or somethings past, present, and future emotions --”

Chas didn’t get to hear the rest as he quickly and quietly dumped the pills contents into John’s cup and motioned to Zed that the deed was complete. He was a little impressed that Zed was able to distract John so easily, but then again he wasn’t about to question where her questions came from.

“-- nothing really else to add.” John finished. “Why the sudden interest?”

“Oh, just wondering... Want to make sure I don’t suddenly lift a table or something.” Zed lied.

John chuckled as he turned back to the work in front of him. “Not likely, luv.”

Chas looked over the map, pretending that was his original intention.

“Itching to get back in, are we?” John inquired.

“Hell no. I’ve died enough for the week.” Chas leaned back into the couch. “We need a break.”

“No such thing.. Not for us, mate.” John grabbed his drink and held it up in the air. “That’s the price of fighting against the rising darkness. We don’t get any bloody breaks.” John saluted his drink and knocked it all back in one go.

Zed couldn’t help the smile on her face.

“I’ll clean this up then.” Zed got up and started picking up the books to return them to their shelves.

“Why? I’ve got work to do.” John protested.

“Not tonight you don’t.” Zed affirmed.

“Oi -” John leaned forward to try and stop Zed but found his strength drained. He would’ve crashed into the table if it weren’t for Chas catching him. Why was he so tired?

“Oh Chas, you prick..” John cursed as he realized what just happened.

“What was that John?” Chas giggled as he helped John lay down on the couch, being mindful of his injuries whenever he winced a bit.

“You-you're a… prick,” John mumbled, his eyes already falling shut.

“Yeah, I know you are.” Chas agreed.

Once settled, Chas grabbed the blanket he’d conveniently placed on the end of the couch and threw it over John who was too out of it to protest.

“I’ll stay here.” Zed offered. “I’m gonna finish my tea and draw something, maybe.”

“You sure?” Chas hesitated.

“Yeah, you could use the rest.” Zed picked up her tea from the table and moved to sit in the recliner chair.

“So could you.” Chas said.

“I will, Chas, you don’t have to drug me too.” Zed giggled.

“Alright.” Chas resigned as he picked up his duffel bag and headed up the stairs. He stole one last glance at the main room and smiled.

Zed was already comfortable in the recliner chair with a book in her lap and a blanket while John was fast asleep on the couch beside her, snoring.

Chas made his way to his room and set down his duffel bag. He really needed a shower.

###### Promise of Reward:

This method hardly ever works, but sometimes it does have its moments. Most of the time, it would be when John’s already a couple drinks down, to the point where he isn’t entirely drunk, but tipsy and light. When he’ll agree to just about anything you ask him to do. Which can be very dangerous or very convenient; it all depends on the situation.

For now, Chas needs to convince John to go to sleep before he knocks himself out against the pillar he’s sprinting around. He’s, off-key, sung Anarky in the UK for the fifth time in a row and Chas had enough.

“Hey, John?” Chas turned to see John trying to climb the pillar. “As much as I love the Sex Pistols, why don’t you give it a rest and come over here. I want to play a game.”

“That’s our good ol’ Chas.” John drunkenly exclaimed as he sauntered over to where Chas was standing.

“Always ready to play a drinking game with ya, mate.” John bubbled.

“Oh, not a drinking game John. This is a different kind of game." Chas claimed. "A special one.”

“What kind a special?" John inquired, being dramatically skeptical.

Now the offer. “If you win, I’ll buy you one thing of whatever you want.”

“Really?!” John nearly yelled.

“Yes, John. Are you in?” Chas challenged.

“I’m always up for a challenge Chas. Don’ you - Don’t you know me?” John slurred.

“Unfortunately.” Chas groaned.

“Alright, here’s what you have to do.” Chas leaned in closer to John. “You and I are going to get ready for bed and the first one that falls asleep wins.” 

“That’s easy Chas, I am so going to kick your arse!” John sprinted up to his bedroom while Chas quickly followed.

Chas closed the door to John’s bedroom and sat on the bed, watching John as he stumbled to get out of his clothing. Chas was and had been ready for bed for the past 2 hours. It was about 1 am after all.

Once out of the stubborn clothing and only in his boxers, John launched himself under the covers and started getting comfortable. Chas would’ve been content with John on one side of the bed while he was on the other side, but John apparently had other plans. He rolled over and snuggled up into Chas’s chest, finding it the warmest and most comfortable spot on the bed.

Chas sighed and started combing his hand through John’s hair.

“Mm’ starting to think you don’t wanna win,” John mumbled.

“Not everything is about winning John.” Chas whispered.

“I wan’ the expensive brandy.” John claimed his prize.

Chas laughed. “Go to sleep John.”

2 minutes later, John did just that, still snuggled up into Chas’s chest. Chas could feel tiredness creep over and resigned to sleeping there that night. Sure, he’d wake up with John on top of him, a fact he’d accepted years ago, but - hey - he wasn’t about to complain.

###### Wrestling:

Chas uses this method most often. When John is being his usual arrogant self and refuses to sleep until he gets something done. It’s then that Chas will literally pick him up and fight him all the way up the stairs, into the bedroom, and onto the bed.

And here they were again. John struggling to get out of Chas’s grip as he was pinned down to the bed by his arms with Chas leaning on top of him.

“John Constantine, so help me I will lay on top of you if you try anything,” Chas warned.

John breathed heavily, trying to catch his breath. His blonde hair was rustled, and his cheeks were slightly red.

“Getting a bit kinky in our old age, are we?” John smirked.

Chas dropped down, crushing John underneath him but still being mindful that he didn’t hurt the smaller man.

“Ugh, Chas!” John groaned. “You’re crushing me, mate.”

“If you can still talk then your fine.” Chas quipped.

“Come on!” John swatted his arm at Chas’s back.

“Alright, alright! Bloody - uncle! I give.” John panted. “Jesus, get off me you brute.”

Chas relented, moving to lay on John’s side but keeping a strong arm draped over John’s stomach to make sure he didn’t get up.

“Hell Chas, all the way off.” John groaned.

“Nope, I’m comfortable and tired. Think I’ll just stay here.” Chas said, holding John tighter until they were squished together.

“Damn you.” John cursed.

“The only person damned here is you.” Chas automatically responded.

John scoffed and turned his head away.

“There’s work to do.” John tried.

“It can wait.” Chas replied.

“People to save.” John tried again.

“Nothing on the map means we get free time.” Chas replied again.

“That’s not how it works.” John again tried for the third time.

“It’s how it works tonight, now shut up.” Chas shut him down for good.

Surprisingly, John complied. He turned over to face the wall instead of Chas and stayed like that. For the next 15 minutes, everything was silent, and Chas was near asleep until John spoke up again.

“Why do you always do this?” John whispered.

“Wha-” Chas cleared his throat. “What do you mean?”

“This. Dragging me to bed…” John gestured with his free hand.

“Because you need sleep, no matter what you think.” Chas opened his eyes to look at him.

“You shouldn’t care so much, mate.” John muttered.

“You're over 16 years too late to tell me that.” Chas laughed.

“Hmm.” John huffed.

“Look, I wouldn’t have followed you this far if I didn’t want to. I could’ve bailed at any time, but I didn’t.” Chas propped his head onto his hand. “I know the risks. I know the dangers but I’m still here, and I don’t plan on going anywhere. So get used to this because as long as I’m here --” Chas trailed off.

John was asleep. His mouth was slightly open where a soft snore was coming out, and his eyes were skittering behind his eyelids.

Chas sighed as he laid back down. He loosened his grip on John’s waist and pulled the sheet over them. Guess he was more tired than he thought. Speaking of tired, Chas was also dropping off fast. Laying next to a warm body had that effect after all.

###### Child's Play:

Chas hardly uses this one anymore. Maybe when they were younger, but not since both he and John are over 30 years old now. Though, if he’s had a few drinks and just can’t seem to convince John to sleep, he’d use this method. John hates it. Or at least, he claims to hate it. John would never admit that he likes being taken care of because he doesn’t… Not at all…

This times a little different though because John is already in his bedroom. Chas can hear John fiddling around with stuff and knows he’s too worked up to sleep.

Chas and the 4 shots he’s downed that night would definitely be taking care of that. Plus John was a bit noisy, and Zed was trying to sleep in her room across the hall.

When Chas entered Johns room, he isn’t surprised to see it a mess. Dozens of little magical Knick-knacks littered the floor in a lopsided circle around the epicenter; John.

Hearing someone come in, John turned his head to see who it was and then quickly turned his head back to whatever he was doing. Chas took that as an invite.

He carefully walked over the items on the floor and lay down on Johns bed. He laid his head against the headboard so he could see what John was doing. Then he moved his hand to the lamp on the bedside table and shut it off.

Without the lamp, the room was nearly pitch black.

“Chas…” John warned.

“John.” Chas sarcastically replied.

“Can’t see, mate.” John proclaimed.

“Exactly, now come here.” Chas patted the bed on the spot next to him.

“I’m a little busy.” John kept trying to fiddle with the things on the floor even though it was hard to see anything in front of him.

“No.” Chas got up and walked towards John. “No, you’re not,” Chas affirmed, picking John up by the underarms and pulling him to bed.

Chas laid back on the bed and held onto John with a tight bear grip. John complained the entire time from when he was suddenly picked up to being trapped against Chas’ chest in a weird hug.

He was practically on top of Chas and could feel the man's heartbeat through his shirt.

Once they -- or Chas -- was settled comfortably, he started patting John’s back and humming some song John didn’t recognize.

“ 'm not a bloody child, Chas.” John struggled to get up, but Chas kept his grip and John was going nowhere. Chas also wasn't listening. He just started humming that damn song a bit louder.

“This isn’t going to work.” John claimed.

“Well, it worked the last time and the time before that,” Chas responded. “Got you to sleep in minutes.”

Chas could practically feel John’s face redden and he opened his eyes to see it. Unfortunately, John wasn’t facing him so he couldn’t see the probably hilarious sight of a flustered John Constantine.

John grabbed handfuls of Chas’s shirt and held on tight to try to gain his composure. Chas smiled and resumed humming. He didn’t really have a song in mind, but that didn’t matter. What did matter was that nothing mattered at all right now. 

Sure the world was going to need them sooner or later, but right then and there, it wasn’t a priority. They could let go of the weight on their shoulders and get the rest they deserved.

Chas was soon asleep, following John who’d also fallen asleep, still on top of him.

They didn’t have to worry about that for the moment. That moment would come when he’d suddenly get jerked awake as John launched off him, chasing Zed down the hallway. He could hear her laughing and John yelling for her to delete something. Later he’d find out that Zed had discovered both of them fast asleep, snuggled into each other and thought it’d be funny to take a few pictures for memory.

Or blackmail. John was sure it was blackmail. But Chas didn’t care. He’d been caught doing worse with John Constantine.

###### Pure Exhaustion:

Out of every method Chas could use, this one was definitely the easiest. Mainly because he didn’t have to do anything. After a rough and tiring case, he, Zed, and John would all trudge back to the millhouse; their heads feeling like weights were pulling them down and go off separately to heal.

This case was more hard on John than it was for Chas and Zed. He’d been kidnapped, tied up and had to do most of the hard work himself as Chas and Zed were both busy working out where the victim's bodies were buried. Luckily John hadn’t been injured, but he had been chained up in a dark basement with a frightened kid for nearly 2 days before the killer finally came back and John was able to exorcize him. The kid was also uninjured, physically anyway. Mentally, he would probably need a ton of therapy to get over this but he was safe and sound with his parents, and that’s what mattered.

When they came back, John limped up the stairway and to his own room, muttering something about needing strong drinks and a smoke. Chas and Zed watched him until he disappeared and they heard a door slam above them. Concern would stay with them for a little while after. John hated it when children were involved in cases like these. While the kid and John did manage to get away unharmed, it always brought back bad memories for the demon slayer. That was no surprise after everything John witnessed in his life.

Though, it was a surprise when John slowly walked back down the stairs 20 minutes after he’d left for his room, with a blanket wrapped loosely around his shoulders and his head looking pointedly at the floor. By that time, Zed had already gone for her room, bringing along her sketchbook, so it was just Chas in the kitchen, by himself. John kept looking at the floor as he walked towards Chas who was sitting at the table, a cup of water in his hands. The walk was slow, and Chas watched him the entire time.

John’s motives were questionable, to say the least. His footwork suggested he was tired, maybe not even sober. If John were drunk, then 20 minutes would be a record for his late 30s. John isn’t a fast drinker anymore. Nowadays he preferred to take his drinks slower and savor them rather than knock ‘em back all at once. Chas put his glass down on the counter and turned fully towards John. John was moving so slow that Chas felt the need to just get up and go to him instead, but he stayed in his chair and watched.

He watched John walk straight into the couch and almost trip over it. Chas expected to hear angry muttering or for a kick to be swung at the bottom of the upholstery but none of that happened. John just looked at the couch as if noticing it for the first time and then walked around it. Chas would’ve laughed if he didn’t feel so concerned. John hardly acted this way at all, which usually meant that something was wrong.

The position of John’s head suggested he was -- shy? John Constantine, shy… Yeah, he was most likely drunk if that were the case. Finally, John made it to the table where Chas was and stopped a foot away from him.

“Everything alright?” Chas heard himself ask.

John didn’t say anything. Didn’t even lift his head to look at him. He did, however, move the hand that wasn’t clutching the blanket around him and took hold of one of Chas’s shirt sleeves, tugging it.

Chas finally understood. Geraldine had done the same thing when she wanted company around her at night. When a lousy dream would wake her up, and she was scared. When she just couldn’t sleep without someone with her. John wanted Chas to help him fall asleep. Which explained why he wouldn’t look at him. No matter what, John could never let other people see him vulnerable. Even if he knew he needed the help, his pride would always stand in the way.

Tonight, though, it looked like John was too tired to let his pride stand in the way too much.

Chas stood up and took hold of John’s upper arm and led him back to the bedroom. The process was slow, especially going up the stairs. It was amazing how body language could speak volumes about how a person was feeling. At this point, Chas was 90% sure, that John was hardly even conscious anymore. Every step up a stair took a tremendous amount of effort for the demon slayer. 10 minutes went by, and they were only halfway up.

Chas’s patience was wearing thin, and when John nearly tripped over himself, Chas just picked up the smaller man and carried him up the rest of the way.

“Can walk me-self y’know,” John muttered into Chas’s neck.

Chas shrugged. “Just making it easier for both of us.”

“Mmm,” John hums in return. Chas could feel John’s cracked lip rub against the skin of his neck and was a little worried it would split back open.

Keeping his movements as light as possible, Chas nudged open the door to his bedroom with his foot and deposited John onto the bed.

“Wrong bedroom.” John nuzzled into Chas’s blanket.

“Your sheets are in the wash,” Chas replied as he lay down next to his bedmate for the night.

“Thanks,” John muttered.

“No problem,” Chas replied as he watched John sleep.

If he didn’t know John as well as he did, he’d probably think John looked cute in his sleep.

The way his face would release all of its built-in tension from a hard life, and he’d looked more -- innocent. It was a strange thing to see, especially on him.

Chas didn’t notice he was stroking John’s cheek until his finger caught on his stubble and he backed away. Chas feared that’d woke John up when he suddenly moved his head, but it was only to chase Chas’ touch.

Chas complied with John’s unconscious wish and stroked his cheek again. He moved his fingers lightly going up and down across his face to the back of his ear and tracing his hairline.  
Chas honestly wasn’t that tired, so he just kept doing that until he was.

The next thing he knew, he was woken up from hearing a door slam somewhere in the mill. The light that poured through his curtains made it evident it was morning.

But he wasn’t going to get up. Because John Constantine had his hand curled into Chas’s and was still asleep. He looked too peaceful to be woken up and forced to face life’s shitstorm. So Chas laid back down and went back to sleep.

Zed can make breakfast herself for once.

**Author's Note:**

> LMAO do people even write for these guys anymore?? I really should've watched Constantine in 2014 instead of 2018 when the fandom was more alive... Not that it isn't alive now! I just mean more "allliiivvvveee." You see what I'm getting at? 
> 
> I'm SO sorry this is late. School is getting more complicated and I'm having trouble organizing my schedule. Next week, everything should be better, I promise!
> 
> Count on me to forget Valentines day ever existed and having nothing prepared for it :'( Next holiday, there'll be a themed fic... If I don't forget about the next holiday too.
> 
> Wow, this was definitely one of the weirder fics I've posted (not written, mind you ;) 
> 
> Next week will be a new series called "We are Legends."
> 
> Anyway, thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed!


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